The outcome of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s corruption trial will be watched closely well beyond the federal courthouse, with the verdict representing a potential

Madigan and his co-defendant – longtime confidant Michael McClain – are on trial on racketeering and bribery charges​.

The defense team for Michael Madigan rested its case Thursday as the months-long federal corruption trial enters one of its final legs.

Lawyers for former House Speaker Michael Madigan formally rested their case before the jury on Thursday after calling 12 witnesses, most notably Madigan himself. And prosecutors also rested after a short rebuttal case.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan stepped down from the witness stand Tuesday after days of testifying in his own defense in his corruption trial. It remained unclear Tuesday evening whether Madigan's decision to testify was a Hail Mary pass,

The former Illinois House speaker's legal team will get one more chance to make its pitch when closing arguments get underway, likely next week. U.S. District Judge John Blakey signaled that he expects them to begin Wednesday.

Ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan is set to return to the stand Wednesday morning, continuing testimony that will surely be some of the most crucial and closely examined of the bombshell public corruption trial.

A defense attorney has presented a statement in lieu of testimony from Gov. J.B. Pritzker at the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Heather Wier Vaught testified on what turned out to be a short day for jurors, who are nearing deliberations after 11 weeks of testimony. Closing arguments are expected next week.

Jurors in the Michael Madigan corruption case have heard a lot of evidence about a 2018 meeting between the then-powerful House speaker and incoming Gov. JB Pritzker, where the two Democrats allegedly discussed the topic of state boards.